The conference, organized by the Kansas City Fed, draws prominent economists and central bank officials from around the world, including Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

China Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan attended the conference for the first time in 2005, but over the years China has rarely sent senior officials to the event.

The sources did not say why China decided against attending the Aug 27 meeting but noted that the world's No. 2 economy was not present at last year's session, either.

Global investors watch the outcome of the annual conference closely.

At the 2010 session, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said U.S. policymakers were prepared to buy more government debt, mortgage securities, homes and stocks if the economy were to worsen significantly or if there was a prolonged drop in prices and wages.